What the German Integrationskurs is, who is entitled or obliged to attend, the 700-hour structure, the €2.29/unit cost and 50% refund, how to apply via the Ausländerbehörde or BAMF, and the 2026 voluntary-admission freeze.
Reviewed: 2026-06•Read time: 6 min read•Best for: New residents who need German for daily life, permanent residence or citizenship — and want to know if attendance is free, entitled or compulsory
Written & reviewed by the Starting in Germany team, checked against official German government sources.
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What the Integrationskurs is — and why it matters
The Integrationskurs is Germany's state-subsidised integration course, run under § 43 AufenthG and organised by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). It combines German language teaching with an orientation course on law, history and everyday life. The B1 German and the "Leben in Deutschland" knowledge it delivers are exactly what the Niederlassungserlaubnis and naturalisation later require — so it pays to start early.
Course structure: 700 teaching units
A general integration course is 700 teaching units (Unterrichtseinheiten, UE):
600 UE language course, taking you up to level B1;
100 UE orientation course ("Leben in Deutschland") on the legal and social order, history and everyday life.
Intensive (500 UE) and special variants (literacy, youth, parents) also exist for different needs.
Cost and the 50% refund
Self-payers contribute €2.29 per teaching unit, so a full 700-UE course costs about €1,603 (2026). You attend free of charge if you receive Bürgergeld, unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld) or social assistance, or are otherwise on a low income. Pass both final exams within two years and you can claim back half of what you paid.
Who is entitled — and who must attend
There are two distinct statuses, and they matter:
Entitlement (§ 44 AufenthG): most people settling long-term receive a one-time right to a course place. This entitlement lapses one year after the residence title that created it was issued — don't sit on it.
Obligation (§ 44a AufenthG): if you cannot yet communicate in simple German, the Ausländerbehörde or your Jobcenter can require you to attend.
How to apply
Non-EU nationals: the Ausländerbehörde issues a Berechtigungsschein (course entitlement certificate); you then choose an approved provider.
EU citizens: apply directly to the BAMF, which can admit you, after which you pick a provider.
The course ends with two tests: the DTZ (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer), a scaled exam certifying A2 or B1, and the "Leben in Deutschland" test (33 questions). Pass the DTZ at B1 plus the orientation test and you receive the "Zertifikat Integrationskurs".
2026 update: the voluntary-admission freeze
In February 2026, the BAMF reportedly suspendednew voluntary admissions under § 44 Abs. 4 AufenthG for the rest of the budget year. This is narrow: it mainly affects EU citizens and others who rely on voluntary admission because they have no legal entitlement. If you hold an entitlement (§ 44) or are obliged to attend (§ 44a), you are not affected, and admissions already granted remain valid. Confirm the current position with your Ausländerbehörde before assuming a place.